Day 10: Sutra 2:1 Purification (effort), self-study and surrender to the supreme being are the foundations of yoga.
The 196 sutras are divided into several books. Book 1 is about Contemplation and Book 2 is the Portion on Practice. Now we go into more detail about practice. How willing are you ...?
It's not easy to get rid of the mind chatter so Patanjali encourages us by saying that there is no need to be worried or frighentened because what is required is to lay the right foundations.
These foundations are:
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Effort or self-discipline,
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Self-study,
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Dedicating everything you do to supreme intelligence (also called the divine, god, source, higher intelligence...).
He reiterates that you have to experiment and do the practices yourself so you gain your own experiences and understanding.
You actually have to practise the asanas, meditations, breathing and energy exercises, which are ways to purify or burn away toxins and create balance in the body, mind, emotions and energies.
Yoga requires that you also engage in self-inquiry by studying (not just casually reading) anything that elevates your mind and concerns the true self. This could be through reading the Sutras, Bible, Koran and other elevating material.
You can study with gurus who can help you to understand your true self. I originally learned all my yoga philosophy and principles orally by sitting, listening and practising under the guidance my spiritual teacher in India. At that time, I did not read any texts. You can read poetry that elevates the mind, listen to enlightening, elevating music...
Sri Aurobindo stated that “All life is Yoga.” Life itself, going about your daily activities, is the learning ground for consistently and persistently putting into practice the tools that can get you to be yoga.
Another foundational stone for being in yoga is the willingness to surrender or yield to the creative source, god, higher consciousness.
This can be done by dedicating all that you do and the outcomes you attain to something that you deem to be bigger or greater than yourself. This could be the good of all humanity, for instance. Then you do not do things from an ego perspective.
When you can do all of this, your mind can be tranquil and you will be living yoga.
I like what Sri Swami Satchidananda advocates in his translation of this sutra:
'let us all dedicate our lives for the sake of the entire humanity. With every minute, every breath, every atom of our bodies we should repeat this mantram: “dedication, dedication, giving, giving, loving, loving”. This is the best japa, the best yoga which will bring us all permanent peace and joy and keep the mind free from the disturbances of the chitta vrittis.” (chattering mind-stuff).
This quote always elevates my mind and as you read it, perhaps yours also.
Namaste!
